The World is Never Just White or Black
by RunningBrooke
Summary: Things are never quite as they seem.
1. Chapter 1

Hi guys! This is my first semi-long fanfic, (Draco/Ginny, of course), and I'm really sorry about this chapter. It's kinda short. I promise the next one will be longer though! Now, onto the story.

* * *

Something was not right. Not right at all.

Ginny looked up, her eyes narrowed. Her eyes flicked across the compartment: Luna, Neville, Colin, the latter two snoring. The trunks above her head were fine, nothing seemed amiss. Luna noticed her glances and smiled serenely.

"Something wrong, Ginny?" Ginny cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Yes, there is. What can you sense?" She had learned long before she was Luna's friend that her queer imaginings were no rubbish. Luna smiled.

"Oh, just some people who aren't suppose to be here." Ginny frowned and stood up.

"I'll go look. Tell Neville and Colin, will you?" Luna nodded.

"Of course, Ginny. Stay safe." Ginny nodded shortly, sliding open the door and stepping out. The corridor was empty, muffled voices from other compartments the only sound in the compressed air. She paused, frowning, then closed her eyes in order to hear better. She was wrong: there _was_ something more than just the muffled whispers. Treading lightly, she pressed herself against the wall adjacent to the door to the next car and lifted her head ever so slightly.

She had to clap her hand against her mouth to stifle a loud gasp. Ducking down quickly, she whispered a furious incantation and felt herself melt into the background of the train car.

 _Damn. What were they doing here?_ She cursed again and slipped away from the door, hugging the wall. Striding towards her original compartment, she opened the door quickly.

"Luna, it's me, Ginny," she whispered hurriedly. "Look, I know this sounds weird, but there are Death Eaters on the train, in the car next to ours. I'm going to warn the others. You tell Neville and Colin, okay? And make sure to hide that Quibbler and anything else that might provoke an attack." Luna looked up at her, blinking.

"Sure, Ginny." She had never once looked panicked, something that Ginny was thankful for. "Should we expect you back within the hour?" Ginny pursed her lips.

"If the Death Eaters leave by then, yes." Luna smiled and waggled her fingers at her.

"Go along, Gin. See you soon." Ginny smiled and shut the door behind her, sprinting down the corridor and murmuring the counter spell, feeling herself appear as she was again. At each compartment, she opened the door and warned each person to hide anything the Death Eaters wouldn't like. She knew that most would start panicking at any mention of a Death Eater, but since the Death Eaters were going to invade everyone's compartment, she might as well.

Every compartment was Slytherin in the first car, and the very last one with the incredible bouncing ferret sleeping inside. She shuddered, drawing away from the window. She didn't want to imagine what would happen if Malfoy caught her peeking.

Looking around, she drew in every detail quickly. No bathrooms in this car, no closets either. The driver's compartment was most likely occupied, and she didn't want any awkward questions. Her breath started to come quicker as she heard scuffling in the next car. The Death Eaters were very near. Her head whipped around again to scan her surroundings, and when nothing new came up, she narrowed her eyes and calculated her choices.

Malfoy. A sleeping ferret wouldn't be too bad, supposedly.

Other Slytherins, very much awake and would probably beat her up and throw her out.

Nowhere else.

Her heart leapt up her throat as a grating noise came from the front of the car, a glimpse of black showing through. Only one plausible option. Choosing the lesser of two evils, she slipped into Malfoy's compartment and slid the door shut, her breath fast and shallow. Trying to slow her breath, she flattened herself against the opposite wall in order to see into the corridor better. A flash of black robes swirled into the first compartment. Six away from the one she was in. Her breath finally steadied, she turned around only to have it hitch in her throat again.

"What are _you_ doing in my compartment?"

Of course, it _had_ to be the great bouncing ferret himself. Ginny stared up at Draco Malfoy. He was standing now, his posture perfectly straight, glaring down at her.

Oh, great. Could her day get _any_ better?

"Sod off, Malfoy," she snapped, trying to turn her back on him, her hand at her robe pocket and wand. Malfoy tutted.

"Really, Weaslette, you ought to treat your betters with more respect." This sparked a reaction. Ginny turned on him, her mouth opened in outrage.

"Better? _Better?_ How dare you think of yourself as my better! You are nothing but low, ferrety scum and everyone knows it!" She ended her exclamation with a furious glare, which, if looks could kill, would have burned Malfoy until he was nothing but a sad pile of ashes at her feet.

 _That would be rather nice_ , she reflected, _but unfortunately, that didn't seem likely anytime soon_. The annoying ferret still stood a good head above her, a smug smile plastered on his face.

"You really ought to rethink your morals, Weasley," Malfoy chided, inspecting his fingernails as he leaned against a wall. "They are in great need of reshaping."

"I - I-" she began, sputtering in outrage. He smiled, only a slight lift of the corner of his lips.

"I know I look stunning, Weaslette, but you needn't gape at me so." Ginny snapped her mouth shut red tinging the edges of her vision.

"I was _not_ ogling at you, Malfoy!" she spat, stiffening her spine to appear taller. Merlin, he was _tall._ Nearly a head higher that she was, and she was only slightly shorter than Ron.

 _Ron._ A pang shot through her chest, but she quickly dismissed the thought as Malfoy quirked a perfectly coiffured eyebrow at her, mocking her.

"Oh, but you know you want to." Ginny's mouth was open to snap a retort back at him, and she would have, had he not threw a dispicable look at her.

 _How dare he!_ she thought angrily, glaring at his pristine robes.

"My head is up here, you know." His voice was full of amusement as well. Damn him and his annoyingly perfect face.

"You bastard!" she hissed. Malfoy raised an elegant eyebrow.

"Your mother really needs to teach you some manners," he said idly. "But of course, she must work _very_ hard to keep your poverty-stricken family out of the gutters, yes?" Ginny was about to mouth a retort that would, in truth, strike her mother dumb, but was stopped abruptly by a faint rustling sound. Her mouth went dry.

While she had been bickering with Malfoy, she had completely forgotten the fact that she was still very much in danger of being discovered by Death Eaters, most of which would torture her, then toss her out or drag her to the dark lord.

"Oh, bloody hell," she muttered, raising Malfoy's other eyebrow as she turned back to the compartment door and peered out. A pale face was illuminated in the artificial light of the train car before disappearing into the compartment directly next to her's and Malfoy's. "Oh bloody, bloody hell."

"Language, Weasley," Draco admonished. "Really, whatever _does_ happen in that hovel of yours?" Ginny was too panicked to reply. Her gaze darted futilely around the compartment, even though she knew there would be nothing to help her there.

"Crap."

"Language!"

"Shut it!" she muttered furiously, casting her eyes about again, though she knew she'd find nothing new.

Bile rose in her throat as a bitter thought rose in her mind. Even if she found a hiding place, Malfoy would surely rat her out. Life was just too unfair.

"And why should I?" Ginny snapped out of her train of thought.

"Just shut it, Malfoy!" She whipped around when she heard him laugh. It was a deep sound, comprised of no mirth at all. A shiver ran down her spine

"Scared, Weaslette?" Ginny's head snapped up, acquiring a kink in her neck, but she didn't care.

"Sod off, Malfoy!" she spat. He tutted.

"Is that any way to treat your savior?" Ginny looked up in alarm.

"My - hey! What are you doing!" She had forgotten to keep her voice down then, but Malfoy quickly clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Shut up," he muttered through clenched teeth as he shoved her under the seat unceremoniously before straightening up. Ginny was about to berate him with language that would have made her mother faint, but at that moment, the door slid open and she heard the springs creak above her as Malfoy stood up to greet the newcomers.

"Good evening, Mister Malfoy," a cold, silky voice drawled. Ginny shuddered, her mind still trying to process what had just went on. Malfoy had hidden her? Why?

 _He'd probably show me out later,_ she thought with an increasing sense of despair.

"And you, Carrow," Malfoy responded. _Ah_. One of the Carrows. "Please, call me Draco." Ginny sneered despite herself. So Malfoy was cronies with these evil men? Typical.

"So, what brings you here, Carrow, McNair, Yaxley?" Malfoy asked. Ginny felt the springs above her creak as a Death Eater seated himself on the seat she was hiding under. Black robes obscured her view of most of the compartment as well. She heard someone muttering something to another Death Eater.

"We are here to look for Potter," one replied at last. "We are hoping to surprise the Dark Lord with an early capture, so we can do away with him quickly." Ginny saw the heel of one boot shift into view. It looked like Malfoy's.

"I'm afraid I haven't seen him the entire ride," Malfoy said smoothly.

 _Damn right you haven't,_ Ginny thought bitterly. _You master is the reason he isn't here!_ A Death Eater clucked disapprovingly.

"Pity." He paused, as if contemplating various options. "Maybe we ought to take one of his friends, for a bargaining device, you know?" He laughed harshly. "How about that pretty one - the blood-traitor Weasley? She's a looker, that's for sure. And I heard something about her and Potter being a thing back then. She'd be a good 'un, I think." Ginny froze, her heart beating wildly in her chest. Panic bloomed within her; in her mind she saw a Death Eater dropping something, bending down to pick it up, then seeing her. Her breath came in short pants that only halted when Draco snapped something else.

"Do you think the Dark Lord would appreciate a _blood traitor_ in his presence?" he snapped, the anger evident in his voice. "Now, I'd like to have a bit of time to myself, if you don't mind." Ginny listened with bated breath as the springs above her head creaked yet again. The Death Eater had gotten up.

"Well, Draco, I hope to see you around some time." It was a female's voice this time, sickeningly sweet and seductive. She shivered. Probably the other Carrow sibling. Draco - when had it become Draco? - made a noncommittal noise, then coughed pointedly.

"Alright, alright, we'll leave, Draco," the male Carrow said pacifyingly, and Ginny would hear his robes swishing across the floor. "See you around." The sliding door slid open, and then shut.

Ginny did not move for a long time.

She vaguely heard the creak of the floor as Draco knelt down, his face appearing. There was a crease between his brows, and - could that be _worry_ in his eyes? It was probably a hallucination. She wasn't thinking straight.

"Weasley." His voice was gruff. "A-are you okay?" Ginny didn't respond - she couldn't. Her eyes were wide - she felt herself being moved, pulled out of the tiny alcove she was hiding in - a hand touched her hair, she flinched. The world seemed to revolve around her, a blur in her eyes, a glint of white-blonde here, a flash of black there. She felt something compressing her lungs, crushing her windpipe - _breath, breath, breath, breath._

"Weas - Ginny, put your head in between your legs," she heard, far away in the distance. She felt her head being forced between her legs, a hand tracing circles on her back. A moment later, she felt herself falling down, down, down. And then she let herself go into the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

I've had this lying in my computer for a long time, decided I wasn't going to add anything here, and posted it. Not sure when the next chapter'll be up. Read on!

* * *

Someone was battering the back of her head with a battering ram, again and again and again. She groaned, trying to move out of the range of whatever was ailing her, but to no avail. She groaned again, trying to force her sticky eyelids open. However, when she managed to shift, the pounding in her head grew even stronger, and she was forced to stop lest she lose consciousness again.

After a moment, she tried again.

And again.

Finally, she was able to open her eyes.

The first thing that hit her was how bright it was in the room she was in. Groaning, she quickly shut her eyes as best she could and the light dimmed slightly, though didn't fully go away. She heard somewhere off to her right, a rustling sound, then a door being slid open, then shut. She was still on the train, according to the rumblings beneath her. Her eyes flew back open and she gasped, pain immediately spiking through her. Where was she on the train? Had she missed Hogwarts? Who had taken her here? And - the memories of her encounter with the Death Eaters and Draco Malfoy came crashing back down on her, and she had to settle back into the sheets. Wait - sheets? Opening her sticky eyelids once more, she squinted, taking in the bed she was lying on and the deep red walls surrounding her. She was in the train, alright. She question was, where?

Pausing a moment to calm her pounding head, she tried again to move. This time, she managed to get as far as swinging one leg over the edge of the bed she was lying on before she had to stop.

" _Merlin_ ," she muttered as she paused again. "What _happened_ to me?" The other leg as well. That was when she noticed the tiny bottle on the side table. "What-" She leaned closer to look. An elegant script seemed hastily scribbled onto the flask's neck. "Instant relief," she read. "Drink all at once." Immediately suspicious, Ginny picked up the bottle with shaky fingers and inspected it closely. Regular cap, made of a clear green glass. She frowned. That was unusual. Usually, flasks were transparent. She couldn't distinguish what color potion was inside. At least, she _thought_ it was a potion.

 _What if Malfoy left me here and was hoping I'd poison myself?_ she thought, gently setting the bottle down and trying again to stand up.

"Drink it." A gruff voice came from the doorway. Ginny's eyes flew up and her lips parted as she saw Draco - when did it become Draco? - leaning against the doorframe. She immediately tensed, her hand flying to her pocket. _Where was her wand?_ Her breath started coming quicker.

"What did you do with my wand?" she snapped, her voice hoarse. Draco sighed.

" _Drink it,_ " he repeated, taking a step forward. Ginny scooted back, nearly losing her balance. "Honestly!" He threw up his hands, and the the gesture looked so strange on her family's arch enemy that Ginny had to shut her mouth and bit her lip to keep from giggling. "It's as if you think I'm trying to poison you!" Ginny's eyes narrowed.

"There's nothing here that goes against that." Draco glared at her.

"And have I done anything to make you think so?" Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Insulted me, my family, cursed Ron, hated Harry," she rattled off, and Draco shut his eyes in frustration.

"Drink it or I'll force feed you!" he gritted out, taking another step forward.

"Won't!" Ginny tried again to get up, but only succeeded in shifting a few feet to the side.

"Ginny." His voice was deadly calm. "Drink the potion. If you don't, I'll drink half of it. Then if I drop dead, you can celebrate. Happy?" Ginny gazed at his shrewdly. He didn't seem to be hiding anything.

"Fine," she sighed, taking the bottle from the table. "But if I die, I'll haunt you forever." Draco scoffed.

"Very likely. Now, drink." Ginny reluctantly brought the bottle to her lips, taking a cautious sip. Draco rolled his eyes.

"I'm not trying to poison you, you know. If I'd wanted you dead, I would have killed you while you were out." Ginny tilted her head back, ignoring his most recent comment, and downed the entire bottle. Immediately, a warm, tingling feeling spread throughout her body, smoothing sores and numbing any pain. Her headache receded and she looked up at Draco in amazement.

"Where'd you get this?" she asked, forgetting for a moment that he was a Malfoy, and a rude one at that. Draco shrugged.

"I carry a bottle everywhere I go, in case of emergencies." Ginny couldn't help but let a smile spread across her face.

"And I was an emergency?"

"Don't get too full of yourself," he grumbled. "I only did it because I had to. What would your friends say if they found you in my compartment, passed out? Bleeding too," he added, gesturing to her hand, which was wrapped in white gauze. Ginny's eyes widened in surprise.

"How did I get that?" she asked, trying to distract herself from the disappointment she felt at Draco's unfeeling response.

"When I tried to drag you out," he said. "You wouldn't stop thrashing." Ginny frowned, trying to remember when that had been. He backed up a few steps, then turned his back towards her. "Well, it's been lovely talking to you _Weasley,_ " he said, his old drawl returning. "Don't expect me to save you again."

And with that, he was gone.

* * *

Ginny snorted as she stalked along the corridor, the night outside the car already pitch black. What was she doing, thinking about Dra - Malfoy in that way? Stomping angrily through the door into the next car - she had no idea where she was - she halted as she heard voices. Slytherins.

"Ugh," she muttered, stepping forward and ignoring the catcalls following her all the way down the car.

"Hey, mud-blood lover!" one called, cackling. Pansy. "I hear Potter dumped you! Aw, going to cry to your mummy now?" Ginny stoically ignored her. "Is sissy girl afwaid of the big, bad Slytherin?" Ginny's head whipped around and she glared at the dark-haired girl.

"Get your ugly pug nose out of my business!" she snapped, continuing on her way and ignoring the angry insults following her. Once she was out of the car, she sighed with relief and slumped against the wall, exhausted, only to turn again as a voice screeched her name.

"Ginny! Do you have any idea how _worried_ I've been!" It was Colin, red in the face and quickly hurrying towards her.

"Yes," Luna said, thought less frantically. "You were gone nearly three hours. Where were you?" Neville followed, clutching Trevor in his hands.

"What were you doing?" he asked, placing Trevor in his pocket and patting it reassuringly. "We'd all thought you'd been caught." His calm words did not reflect the worry in his eyes, however, as he quickly herded all of them into an empty compartment and slid the door shut behind them. Ginny took a deep breath, trying to stall for time as she thought. Would she tell them about Draco? No, she decided, she would not. It was no use riling them up and possibly getting them in trouble.

"Are you alright, Ginny?" Luna asked. "You look a bit peaky." Ginny shook her head.

"No, I'm fine," she said, her mind racing. "I was trying to escape from the Death Eaters in one of the empty compartments, but they came in right behind me. Luckily, I was under a seat, and one of them sat right above me, so they couldn't see me. But they stayed in that compartment for a long time, and it was nearly two hours before they got out again." Neville looked slightly excited.

"Did you learn anything that might help us in any way?" he asked, fingering the gold chain around his neck. "Something they let slip, maybe?" Ginny shook her head, thinking fast.

"No, they were just talking about the students they found who weren't in Slytherin, and how they punished them, stuff like that. You wouldn't want to know."

"But how did they punish them?" Neville persisted, leaning forward. "If we knew, we could help prevent any future attacks." Ginny's mind raced. How was she going to answer that? She threw out the first curse that came to mind.

"The cruciatus curse," she said quickly, and felt a pang as Neville's eyes widened.

"They used that on _children?_ " he asked, his voice shocked. Ginny forced herself to nod.

"Yes. They did." He sucked in a breath.

"This is much worse than we thought," he murmured, running a distracted hand through his messy hair. Luna nodded.

"Much worse," she echoed. Ginny's gut twisted. She hated lying to her friends, but it wasn't as if she actually wanted that to be true.

They were silent the rest of the ride. Every noise outside made Ginny jump.

"Are you sure they've left?" she questioned Neville. Neville looked at her strangely.

"Weren't you following them?" he asked, tilting his head. Ginny halted her speech abruptly.

"Um, I lost them after they got to the end of the train," she blurted. Neville still looked as if he didn't believe her, but said nothing more.

* * *

"Something's wrong, I think," Luna echoed Ginny's thoughts as she descended onto the platform and stood next to her. She nodded sagely. "Yes, something is definitely wrong. I can feel it. All the sworzites are fleeing the castle, and the aura around it is pure black. Darker than night." Shivering, Ginny knew that Luna was telling the truth, even though she did sound somewhat crazed.

"Do you know where Hagrid is?" Ginny asked instead, peering around above the heads of the students flooding the platform. Luna tilted her head towards Ginny slightly, a corner of her mouth twitching up.

"Didn't you hear?" Ginny looked at Luna, an eyebrow raised.

"Hear what?" she asked. Luna smiled dreamily.

"The Death Eaters tried to capture him, but Hagrid got away with his giant and are now living in a cave somewhere," she said, waving her hand in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. Ginny smiled.

"Hagrid was always like that," she said fondly as she and Luna found an empty carriage and climbed in. Neville and Colin followed soon after, looking worried.

"What is it?" Luna asked. Ginny jumped as the two boys entered, but relaxed.

"There are wizards guarding the platform," Neville panted as he sat down heavily. "Their wands are drawn, and they were threatening a couple of first years. Apparently, the first years are bing forced to swim across the lake." Ginny's eyes widened.

" _What?_ " Luna frowned.

"That isn't right."

"Damn right it isn't." Colin looked grim. "They can't get away with that, can they?" Luna shook her head.

"Dumbledore is dead, remember? Snape is in charge now. It was in the Daily Prophet a few days ago." She sniffed. "Normally, I wouldn't trust the prophet, even when it wasn't controlled by Death Eaters, but I think they have every reason to want to put that there. Did you hear? Many parents are pulling their children out of Hogwarts and some are even moving out." Colin nodded glumly, slouching slightly in his seat.

"Yeah. My best mate Andre's parents took him out. My mom nearly wanted Dennis to stay home." Luna smiled.

"Well, there's always the food to look forward to. And the sorting of first years. I wonder if they're still going to use the hat, or maybe just stuff everyone in Slytherin." The thought was so foreign to Ginny that it took her a few seconds to process it.

"I don't think there'll be many new first-years unless they're children of Death Eaters," she said, a sneer twisting her lips. "Everyone else is afraid to send their children here anymore." Luna nodded sagely.

"That's true. They might not even use the Sorting Hat anymore."

"I hope they don't get rid of it," Ginny said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I rather liked the old fellow." Colin scoffed.

"'Old fellow'?" he asked, an eyebrow raised. Ginny's eyes widened.

"What?" she asked. "There's nothing wrong with it." Colin let out a giggle.

"I think you're slightly wonky in the head, Gin." Long awaited laughter filled the carriage at last.


End file.
